The Social Bar + Kitchen — Restaurant in New London

This review encompasses three different visits to The Social. Each time has been so bad, that it’s almost unbelievable. The first visit, three of us went for a couple drinks and an app, service was incredibly slow, and we could see all the wait staff just hanging out chit chatting by the kitchen. Our apps were good enough, so I wasn’t turned off to this place yet. The second visit, again 3 of us, we’re having drinks and a late lunch/early dinner. Our waitress was more interested in gabbing to us like a group of gossip girls rather than taking our orders or answering our questions. We asked to sample two different beers (stout and IPA) instead she brought us three different peach beers to try. We obliged, because we are polite, and asked which beers she had brought, but she could not remember and admonished is for ‘mixing up’ the glasses. The food was average. My friend asked for her burger well done, it came out late, and purple. She sent it back to be cooked longer, at this point the two of us who had gotten our meals, had already finished. This last visit takes the cake for awful service. Two of us walked in at 6:30 on a Saturday, the ‘vestibule’ area was crowded, due to confusion on who the hostess was and where they were located. Two bar stools were open so we asked the bartender if those seats were first come first serve, she was very curt and replied they were. We sat down, and waited for the bar to be cleared of the old silverware, dirty glasses and ketchup bottle from the patrons prior to us... But that never happened (I cleared them myself, by placing them at the edge of the bar, where they sat for the whole visit). Our bartender told us he’d be right with us, we borrowed a drink menu from the duo next to us, and decided to each get a beer flight. Our bartender gave us flight slips, we filled them out and handed them back. After about a 5 minute wait, the female bartender servicing the waitresses, asked if we were being helped and told us they were out of flight glasses and we’d have to wait for them. No problem, we were fine to wait, but we had to ask for glasses of water in the mean time and food menus. After the wait, we saw flight glasses coming out of the dishwasher, and one of flights begin to get poured by the male bartender. After the one flight was dropped off he disappeared away from the bar, and I watched two other flights get poured for patrons in the restaurant area. I then had wait for more glasses to be cleaned for my flight to be poured. In total I waited about 15 minutes for 4, 4oz beer pours. Two of the beers on the first flight were incorrect in the mean time. The male bartender was very disinterested in serving anyone, telling us that he was ‘so tired, and his arm hurts’. Odd conversation for someone in the service industry. We opted not to order food, since we couldn’t be sure how long it would take. The staff coming up to the bar complained a lot about how busy they were and how they couldn’t believe it was only 7:15. We got our check after asking twice for it, and left as soon as we could.

In conclusion if you want slow, incorrect service, where you feel as if you’re an inconvenience to the wait staff, by all means, go...

I have to say, this was a first for me. I've never been to a restaurant where they WOULDN'T take our food order despite the kitchen being open.

We had a 6:15 reservation. R E S E R V A T I O N.

3 people in our party of 5 arrived before we, the last 2, arrived about 5 or so minutes later and they had their drinks that they apparently got at the bar.

We sat down at the table and caught up with each other and realized no one had come to take our drink order. So we look at the menu and start deciding what to eat because we were starving and were going to a comedy show up the street at the Garde Arts Center for 8:00.

We're very ready to order now and still no one showed up.

So I decided it was time to walk up to the bar where 4-5 staff members are piled up.

I told them we'd been there a while now and no one came to take our order. They apologized and said they'd send someone over.

Shortly after, our waitress comes over, apologized, and tells us that we can't order any food because they were busy.

Yes, it was a Saturday evening the weekend before Halloween... but we have eyeballs and could easily see that the restaurant had a nearly completely empty bar (1-2 people) and the tabletops where at LEAST 5 tables of maybe 30 that we could see sat empty.

So, incredulous, we're like, you can't take our order AT ALL?? Like you can't even put it in and tell us that our food won't be out for a while? What the...?

In 50 years I've never heard of such a thing. I've worked in restaurants before and even with wall to wall people and a packed bar, I've never told someone they CANNOT order food.

So we asked her to find out how long the ENTIRE MENU would be 86'd for and placed an order for drinks and waters so we don't continue to sit there dry mouthed while our friends worked on their drinks.

A while later she brings our drinks (without the waters, because of course) and she told us she had good news and bad news. She could take our orders but they wouldn't be out for over an hour. It's about 6:50 now.

So we tell her that we'll just take the check and went across the street to the Noodle place which took us in and fed us (amazing food) super quickly.

Shame, it was a cool looking place but you couldn't pay me to go...

I have been visiting The Social frequently over the past 5 years. I also have a perspective as a part time employee and regular patron. I have to say that this place stole my heart on day 1.

Throughout the years (especially before & after quarantine and COVID), I have witnessed IMMENSE staffing shifts , menu improvements, social presence, and just. plain. soul.

So many businesses have struggled to keep the heart of NL alive with the shifts in our economy and within the downtown chaos…. HOWEVER. the invitation that the Social has always provided to come back, try something new, and to have a good time-has been with open and loving arms.

I have been fortunate to make memories and friends within these walls for birthdays, weekly Trivia, and just by being present in the environment they have created. The music selection they play on a regular is current and fun. The craft beer selection is IMMENSELY curated and includes something for any connoisseur…And for those who don’t drink, they actually feature a non-alcoholic menu (which is incredibly inclusive compared to most bars)!!!

The menu has some yummy and modern bites for someone who may want a snack and specific atmosphere after work to decompress in (my usual outting )…or for a cozy date night (be sure to get a window seat) !! Their menu is evolving constantly, and has definitely become more consistent over the past couple of years.

The night life is improving, as bands, and events rotate regularly for many ages…and they actually offer Lunch & Brunch (which is harder to find on Bank st throughout the week/weekend). I truly feel a part of the family after all of these years being a regular !!

The bartenders and servers have a fun and unique approach taking care of their patrons (which i love because -we are all human☺️) and it has definitely made it easy to come back & hear about their week, learn about specials, or their fav drinks to make 😁

Even with the ups and downs that they have faced over the years, I will never fail to recommend The Social to any newcomer, and I highly suggest giving them another try if you’ve visited before and haven’t been back. ….A small business like theirs is a story I hope to continue to be a part of as it evolves. It is a...